Method for dressing, treating, and finishing furs



ratenteu UBC- AU, 133

PATENT OFFICE DIETHOD FOR DRESSING, TREATING, AND FINISHING FURS Oscar F. Muller, Glen Ridge, N. J., assignor to Dri-Wear, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application January 28, 1938, Serial No. 187,430

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in methods for dressing, treating and finishing furs, and has for its particular object the treatment and finishing of lambskins,

A particular object of the invention is a new method of dressing and treating furs so that the completed furs will be pliable, Water resistant, and will show an enhanced lustre 'which will be permanent.

Another object of my invention is a method of treating and dressing furs by which their original pliability, lustre and water resistant qualities,

if impaired, may be restored and in some cases improved upon.

Although I state that the method of treating and dressing furs hereinafter mentioned is particularly applicable to lambskins, it should be understood that my process is not limited to this particular kind of skins but is applicable to other furs also.

In the treatment of furs at the present time, in order to prepare the same for the market, it is frequently necessary to subject same to drastic processes of washing and cleaning said furs, or in the necessary dyeing of the furs, to subject the raw furs to mordants which have a considerable action upon the fur itself or upon the skin to which the fur is attached.

As a result of these washing, mordanting, or dyeing processes, many of the natural protective substances resident in the skins or in the fur are removed with a consequent tendency to decreasing the pliability of the lustre of the fur or the water resistant qualities of the finished furs contrasted with the natural furs.

A method of overcoming some of these defects is shown in my prior Patent No. 1,952,137 of March 2'7, 1934,-.but I have found a means of treating furs, especially lambskins, which embodies some of the improvements mentioned in my Patent No. 1,952,137, with additional improvements which will be hereafter set forth.

My improved method of dressing and treating furs is to deposit a very fine dry layer of a synthetic plastic on the washed and dyed fur, following this by the usual brushing and ironing operation or otherwise so that a lustrous dry polish containing a minimum of extraneous material is left upon the fur, which polish will improve the appearance as well as the water resisting qualities of the fur and skin and will also greatly improve the wearing qualities of the fur itself while the pliability of the fur is retained, or, even if impaired by previous dyeing or washing, is restored.

My improved process is operated as follows:

While it is well known that hot ironing is one of the best methods. for imparting a high lustre to otherwise dull furs, wax deposited on the fibres of the fur, as described in Patent No. 1,952,137 is apt to melt when the treated fur is subjected to a hot iron and is therefore absorbed by the fibre or by the skin of the fur so that comparatively a small amount of water resisting or waterproofing action upon the fur itself remains.

To overcome the disadvantages of this impermanent wax emulsion, I now employ a combination of chemicals, which when properly treated and heated, form a permanent water resistant coating on the fibres, unafiected by subsequent treatments at high temperature, such as ironing or electrifying, as it is called in the trade.

I prepare a solution as follows:

I first prepare a wax emulsion by taking 10 parts of ammonium linoleate to 500 parts of water and to this mixture is added 50 parts of melted carnauba wax.

to 20 grms. of this wax emulsion is added, 20 grms. aluminum formate H 20 grms. phthalic acid (or one half the amount of phthalic anhydride) 10 grms. ethyl lactate 30 grms. formaldehyde 900 grms. cc. water.

It will be understood that I am not limited to the exact proportions or the exact chemicals here mentioned.

The furs to be treated are immersed in this solution for 10 or 15 minutes or can be brushed or sprayed with the same. After the fur fibres are thoroughly impregnated the fur is then hydro-extracted, roughly dried at -120 F. and then subjected to a temperature of 240-250 F. for a few minutes until there has been the necessary interaction to form the resin or synthetic plastic and to fix the same upon and within the fur fibre. This plastic resin is formed by the interaction of phthalic acid upon the formaldehyde, but retains a certain pliability owing to the presence of the waxy materials therein.

After the coating is permanently set upon the fur fibres the furs are then subjected to a more moderate degree of temperature, brushed and ironed and the pile shorn to the proper lengths.

Furs so treated are permanently lustrous, water resistant and spot resistant, and have an attractive appearance.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A method of treating furs by subjecting same to the action of a colloidal emulsion containing wax, aluminum formate, phthalic acid, ethyl lactate and formaldehyde, removing the superfluous liquid and heating said fur until a permanent water resistant coating is produced upon the fibres, and then brushing and ironing the fur.

2. A process of treating furs by subjecting same to the action of a colloidal emulsion containing wax and the uncombined elements of a synthetic resin, removing the excessive emulsion and then heating said fur in contact with the remainder of the emulsion upon the fibres until the synthetic resin is fixed upon the fibres of said fur.

3. A method of treating furs by subjecting same to the action of a colloidal emulsion containing wax in combination with the elements of a, synthetic plastic of the formaldehyde type in uncombined state, removing the superfluous emulsion from said fur, then heating said emulsion in contact with the fur until the: fur fibres are coated with the said plastic in a combined and permanent condition.

4. A method of improving the quality of furs by treating the surface of said furs with a colloidal emulsion containing Wax and the elements of a synthetic plastic in uncombined form, and subsequently drying and heating the furs.

5. A method of treating furs by immersing same in a colloidal emulsion of wax containing phthalic acid and formaldehyde in uncombined form, heating the fur in contact with the solution until the synthetic plastic is fixed upon the fur fibres, then brushing and ironing said fur.

6. A method of treating furs by subjecting same to an emulsion containing the elements of a synthetic plastic including wax, aluminum formate, phthalic acid and formaldehyde, removing the excessive emulsion from the surface of the fur, heating said fur until the synthetic plastic is formed upon the surface of the fibres, then brushing and ironing the fibres.

OSCAR F. MULLER. 

